2013-2014 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Education Initial Teacher Licensure
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Education Overview
Undergraduate Program
The Adam Institute for Urban Teaching and School Practice, and the Education Department strive to provide students with outstanding programs in teacher preparation. The Master of Arts in Teaching program, one of the fifth-year accelerated degree programs at Clark, qualifies students for the initial teaching license according to Massachusetts state requirements at either the elementary, middle or secondary level. The initial license is the second level of licensure in Massachusetts and qualifies students to teach in Massachusetts and most other states. To qualify for the program, students must complete an undergraduate liberal arts major and at least three pre-approved Education courses.
Clark programs are a collaborative endeavor, combining the efforts of faculty from the Education Department, the Adam Insitute for Urban Teaching and School Practice, arts and sciences faculty, and teachers from nearby partner schools in Worcester. Partner schools include University Park Campus School, a grades 7-12 school that has become a model of urban school effectiveness. Clark programs uniquely combine cutting edge school reform and professional learning with teacher education. Core Values and Commitments
The program is committed to developing teachers who:
- believe that all students can learn;
- foster authentic learning, i.e., try to engage all students in meaningful thinking, reading, writing and speaking activities;
- support all students in learning, with an emphasis on academic literacy, personalization, and equitable “best practice” teaching;
- build learning communities with their children based on values such as respect, mutual support and collaboration, and likewise collaborate with colleagues for the benefit of children;
- continually reflect on and assess their own teaching.
In achieving this goal, the Master of Arts in Teaching program:
- immerses students in cohort groups within a partner school for the full academic year;
- integrates school and University perspectives in required courses, with both teachers from partner schools and University faculty in instructor roles;
- connects school experience and study in all phases of the program;
- provides students with collaborative learning experiences such as “rounds,” a signature practice that brings together students, teachers and University faculty for structured classroom observation and reflection;
- provides students with teaching responsibility for the majority of the academic year.
Program Faculty
Thomas Del Prete, Ed.D.
Eric DeMeulenaere, Ph.D.
Sarah Michaels, Ph.D.
Jie Park, Ph.D. Professors of Practice
Holly Dolan, M.Ed.
Letina Jeranyama, Ph.D.
Maureen Reddy, Ed.D.
Heather Roberts, Ph.D.
Raphael Rogers, M.Ed. Adam Teacher Fellows
Kyle Pahigian, M.A.T.
Peter Weyler, M.F.A. Emeriti Faculty
S. Leslie Blatt, Ph.D.
Sharon A. Griffin, Ph.D.
David S. Zern, Ph.D. Part time Faculty
John Ameer, Ed.D.
James McDermott, Ed.D.
Nathaniel C. Seale, M.Ed. Program Coordinator
Marlene A. Shepard, M.A. The Adam Institute for Urban Teaching and School Practice
The Adam Institute for Urban Teaching and School Practice is a partnership between Clark University and the Worcester Public Schools dedicated to rethinking the challenges and possibilities of contemporary urban schools. The center brings together teachers, administrators, researchers and students to foster innovation and scholarship in education. Partner School Collaborative
Much of the learning in the teacher-education programs takes place in the Adam Institute Partner Schools. This is a school uniquely committed to both teacher learning and student learning. Our programs are fully integrated with a set of urban elementary, middle and secondary schools located in or near the south quadrant of Worcester, neighboring Clark. The faculty and administrators at these Worcester public schools work continuously with Clark faculty, undergraduate teacher-preparation students and master’s students. Each site provides Clark students with an exceptional opportunity to develop as teachers, to understand curriculum and learning, and to support and assess diverse learners.
The University/Partner Schools collaboration with the Worcester Public Schools is a large part of Clark’s efforts to ensure high quality and distinction in its programs and to contribute to education reform. The schools and the Adam Institute are bound together in mutual support, commitment and service. University Park Campus School
Clark and the Worcester Public Schools have collaborated on the development of the University Park Campus School (UPCS), an exemplary grade 7-12 neighborhood school and the centerpiece of a neighborhood renewal project. The school is infused with a strong sense of purpose, focusing on preparing its students for university-level academic work, plus a spirit of community fostered by the participation of families and Clark students and faculty in all of its programs. Students who graduate from this “school with a promise” are eligible to attend Clark tuition free. “Going to a university has been my one dream,” said a University Park student. UPCS is one of the Partner Schools for middle-and secondary-level students, and it is the single, most important example of our effort to integrate school, university and community renewal.
Education Minor
Minor Requirements
A Minor in Education is not required in order to apply for the Accelerated Masters in Teaching program. Any six Education courses can constitute a Minor in Education. Please contact the Departmental Program Coordinator (mshepard@clarku.edu) for more information. Human Services Program
This four-course sequence is designed for students interested in pursuing a career and/or graduate study in education and the helping professions. Students will have course work and field experiences dealing with diverse groups including children, families and the aged in settings which include schools, the court system, mental-health agencies and institutions. Students will acquire skills through a balance of study and applied field work. Work in the Worcester area will serve to integrate material from the sequence. Fulfilling the requirements of these four courses constitutes completion of this sequence. School Psychology Program
This three-unit sequence provides intensive first-level training for students in the junior and senior years considering advanced graduate work in school psychology and related professional fields. Students are required to complete a two-semester placement for 10 hours a week under the supervision of a school counselor, social worker or psychologist. Fulfilling the requirements of these courses constitutes completion of this sequence. Qualifying for Massachusetts Initial Teacher Licensure at Clark?
In order to qualify for the initial teaching license in Massachusetts at Clark, a student must complete the Master of Arts in Teaching program, one of the University’s accelerated degree programs. To prepare for the Master of Arts in Teaching program, undergraduates must demonstrate knowledge of the subjects corresponding to the teaching field of his or her interest. Students usually demonstrate this knowledge by completing an appropriate arts and sciences major and/or taking courses that fulfill state standards, and earning a bachelor’s degree. As part of the accelerated degree program, all students in addition take education courses that meet the state professional standards for teachers, and must pass the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure prior to the beginning of the fifth year. The initial teaching license in Massachusetts is honored in most other states, as part of a reciprocity agreement.
The Adam Center for Urban Teaching and School Practice and the Education Department offer an intensive program qualifying students for the Massachusetts initial license at the elementary, middle and secondary levels and leading to the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree. Undergraduates take EDUC 152 Complexities of Urban Schooling as a prerequisite for the MAT. Students interested in an education minor can combine this course with others, although the minor is not required for the MAT program (interested students should check with Marlene Shepard, Hiatt Center Program Coordinator). Qualified undergraduates can begin the MAT program in their senior year as accelerated degree students (see Clark Accelerated B.A./M.A. program requirements).
The MAT program integrates course work with field experiences in nearby partner schools under the guidance of education faculty and expert practitioners. All students take a three course sequence in Teaching and Learning and EDUC 361 - Human Development and Learning . Additional required courses are listed below by teaching level: Middle School (Grades 5-8) Initial Licensure Program
(offered in the following areas: biology, English, general science, history, mathematics and physics):
EDUC 308 - Literacy Across the Curriculum ; EDUC348 Understanding Best Practice; One “Ways of Knowing” course corresponding to teaching field (see courses in the Elementary program listing above); EDUC 378 - Practicum: Middle-School
Undergraduate students seeking to qualify for the middle school-teaching license normally complete a major in the subject matter area in which they aim to teach. Secondary (Grades 8-12) Initial Licensure Program
(offered in the following areas: biology, chemistry, English, French, history, mathematics, physics, Spanish and visual arts):
EDUC 308 - Literacy Across the Curriculum ; EDUC 348 Understanding Best Practice; One “Ways of Knowing” course corresponding to teaching field (see courses in the Elementary program listing above); EDUC 379 - Practicum: Secondary Education .
Undergraduate students seeking to qualify for the secondary school-teaching license normally complete a major in the subject matter area in which they aim to teach. |
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